If you don’t know who Nick Kristof is, you may feel just a little bit lost this week.

Tomorrow, we’re watching the documentary film “Reporter,” about Kristof’s approach to reporting on some of the toughest subjects: famine, genocide, human trafficking and violence against women.

Kristof became a (journalism) household word for his reporting on Sudan. And he won some Pulitzers.

But that’s not why we’re watching “Reporter” and discussing it this week. I think the film really gets at the heart of the question of what journalism is, and what it (sometimes) takes to make people care about the horrors of the world.

Start with the Darfur puppy, or any other column by Kristof, and you get a sense of a calm and focused outrage. But you may be surprised by Kristof when you watch this film. Note that surprise, and you are likely to learn something important about how you view the role of the journalist.